Mitochondrial DNA

The Mitochondrial DNA Genome was sequenced in 1981, decades before the complete Human Genome was 

sequenced. It was much easier to sequence because it contains only 37 genes which are only involved in the production and storage of ATP.

 There is a non coding section of approximately

 1200 nucleotides which is called hypervariable because of its extremely high

 mutation rate. In the 

1980s a group of scientists traced the ancestry of all modern humans to Africa around 200,000 years ago. 

The results of the lab are somewhat troubling. According to our gel, I do not have any ancestry. Joe's band was the darkest so he was the most successful in extracting the DNA. Another source of the error could have been Michael destroying the gel while removing the combs.